Softball

[SoonerSpock]

My opinion is that anyone who thinks this softball team is good enough to win 2 of the last 3 college world series, and then thinks they are chokers is delusional. No sports "hero" can hit the winner every time. Look at Michael Jordan, any baseball player or team. Can't happen. 2 out of 3 is tremendous. Enjoy and forget the choke delusion

You are absolutely correct. OU winning 2 of the last 3 and 3 of the last 6 is outstanding. And while I think the Sooners were one of the top two teams in the Series as I also stated here the would be more than fortunate to 3-peat. The breaks would have to go their way. Finishing in the top 4 was not a bad performance.

But the Sooners went into the WCWS as the top hitting team in the Series. During the Series the Sooners were the worst hitting team of the eight. Given the opportunity to 3-peat the hitters performance is a classic example of the definitition for choking in the presence of opportunities.

I am not talking about the team as a whole as the fielding and pitching was on par with expectations. Not so for all the hitters except Alo and Wodach. They were bad at the plate.

 

[soonermike22]

You are absolutely correct. OU winning 2 of the last 3 and 3 of the last 6 is outstanding. And while I think the Sooners were one of the top two teams in the Series as I also stated here the would be more than fortunate to 3-peat. The breaks would have to go their way. Finishing in the top 4 was not a bad performance.

But the Sooners went into the WCWS as the top hitting team in the Series. During the Series the Sooners were the worst hitting team of the eight. Given the opportunity to 3-peat the hitters performance is a classic example of the definitition for choking in the presence of opportunities.

I am not talking about the team as a whole as the fielding and pitching was on par with expectations. Not so for all the hitters except Alo and Wodach. They were bad at the plate.

I think what bothers me and probably others is using the word choke or choking. Softball (and baseball) has always been a game where you are hot for a while, and then slump to some extent. Not beating the best 7 teams in the country in a tournament is not an indication of choking, and it seems to me to be improper to call it that.
By the way, you have made your argument very nicely without getting upset with those of us who disagree with your conclusion.

 

[SoonerSpock]

I think what bothers me and probably others is using the word choke or choking. Softball (and baseball) has always been a game where you are hot for a while, and then slump to some extent. Not beating the best 7 teams in the country in a tournament is not an indication of choking, and it seems to me to be improper to call it that.
By the way, you have made your argument very nicely without getting upset with those of us who disagree with your conclusion.

I am most definitely not upset with the season the Sooners had. Disappointed we did not 3 peat? Yes. But that was not likely going in against a field the quality of the WCWS. But when the top scoring team in the country averages only 1 run/game while everyone else averages 2.6-5.57 runs/game and 4 teams averaged over 4.67 runs/game unfortunately we choked at the plate not as a team.

Time to move on to who is going to replace Missy and what impact is her loss going to have on the 2019 Sooners? Whomever will have big shoes to fill. Melyssa Lombari's don't grow on trees. Also what impact, if any, will Lombardi going to Oregon have on the 2020, 2021 and 2022 catching and pitching commitments? How difficult will it be to find a replacement that can handle both coaching of the pitchers and the catchers?

 

[j2d2]

I think what bothers me and probably others is using the word choke or choking. Softball (and baseball) has always been a game where you are hot for a while, and then slump to some extent. Not beating the best 7 teams in the country in a tournament is not an indication of choking, and it seems to me to be improper to call it that.
By the way, you have made your argument very nicely without getting upset with those of us who disagree with your conclusion.

I disagree with the opinion that the girls didnt choke. It could be called a slump (a very bad one) but to hit so poorly over so many games seems to me to go beyond a "slump". It seems to me that we passed the "slump" point and got well into "choke" territory. However it is surely not worth arguing about semantics.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Playing what if. We all love Missy Lombari but Oregon is a school very high on OU's hate list ever since we got screwed by the replay ref in Eugene in 2006. Oregon has appeared in 5 of the last 8 WCWS. In 2019 they return all three pitchers and 4 starters.

There is a good chance they will again be at OKC for the WCWS. Ditto for OU if the new pitching coach can get things put together for the Sooners. Were the Sooners and the Ducks to meet next June in OKC and the Ducks win or eliminate the Sooners like they did in 2014. What would the consensus opinion of OU fans be toward Lombardi? Trival food for thought!

 

[j2d2]

The Duck's freshman pitcher ate us for lunch last year.

 

[CoachTalk]

Who replaces her on staff??

 

[Speedy17]

The one thing people forget about Lombardi is that she coached Pitchers and Catchers. She was not just a pitching coach. In fact, she played catcher for Gasso then became a GA, then assistant, and then pitching coach. The catchers are just as important if not more important than the pitchers. This changes the equation in how to replace her.

I still believe the best person for the job is Jessica Shults. The reason is that she was a 3 time all american catcher whose Dad coaches in the HS ranks in California. She was very instrumental in bringing the core to the 2013 NC team that included Ricketts, Chamberlain, and Gascoigne. In addition, she was a GA for multiple years from 2014-2016 and ran the bullpen in 2016. Right now, Shults is the catching coach at Houston under another Gasso protege Kristin Vesely. Patty has quite the coaching tree.

They need someone pretty quick because even if players have signed, they aren't yours until they show up. They have a National Top 3 Catcher in Kinzie Hansen for 2019 class and a bunch of pitchers out there.

 

[Speedy17]

I disagree with the opinion that the girls didnt choke. It could be called a slump (a very bad one) but to hit so poorly over so many games seems to me to go beyond a "slump". It seems to me that we passed the "slump" point and got well into "choke" territory. However it is surely not worth arguing about semantics.

I don't think they choked. I think they were pressing trying to make things happen to accomplish the three-peat. I also think the Washington RF's two plays really stifled them. Fact is that good pitching beats good hitting about 99% of the time. If your pressing, the percentage gets even higher.

 

[SoonerSpock]

The one thing people forget about Lombardi is that she coached Pitchers and Catchers. She was not just a pitching coach. In fact, she played catcher for Gasso then became a GA, then assistant, and then pitching coach. The catchers are just as important if not more important than the pitchers. This changes the equation in how to replace her.

I still believe the best person for the job is Jessica Shults. The reason is that she was a 3 time all american catcher whose Dad coaches in the HS ranks in California. She was very instrumental in bringing the core to the 2013 NC team that included Ricketts, Chamberlain, and Gascoigne. In addition, she was a GA for multiple years from 2014-2016 and ran the bullpen in 2016. Right now, Shults is the catching coach at Houston under another Gasso protege Kristin Vesely. Patty has quite the coaching tree.

They need someone pretty quick because even if players have signed, they aren't yours until they show up. They have a National Top 3 Catcher in Kinzie Hansen for 2019 class and a bunch of pitchers out there.

Your suggestion of Jessica Shultz makes a lot of sense if she is ready to manage a top D-I pitching staff which is yet to be determined. But I agree to insure we keep our present day commitments we need a replacement named as soon as possible.

 

[scrybe]

Your suggestion of Jessica Shultz makes a lot of sense if she is ready to manage a top D-I pitching staff which is yet to be determined. But I agree to insure we keep our present day commitments we need a replacement named as soon as possible.

I've been advocating for Jessica from the moment Melyssa's departure was confirmed. And why would anyone assume she isn't ready to manage a D1 pitching staff? Anyone who doesn't have Lombardi's track record (and that would include every coach or GA in the nation) would be as much, or more, an unknown quantity as Jessica Shultz.

If the rumors are true that K. Rickets and Lea Wodach will both come aboard in 2019 as graduate assistants, Shultz would have all the help she needs to succeed as the Sooners' pitching coach.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Lombardi's Oregon contract is for 1.7 mil for 5 years.

Missy will average making $100K+/year than Oregon was paying Mike White. She gets $140K plus bonuses more than she made at OU. Oregon also agrees to past through to Missy any product endorsement fees it earns from softball equipment vendors.


www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2018/07/new_ducks_softball_coach_earns.html

 

[SoonerSpock]

I've been advocating for Jessica from the moment Melyssa's departure was confirmed. And why would anyone assume she isn't ready to manage a D1 pitching staff? Anyone who doesn't have Lombardi's track record (and that would include every coach or GA in the nation) would be as much, or more, an unknown quantity as Jessica Shultz.

If the rumors are true that K. Rickets and Lea Wodach will both come aboard in 2019 as graduate assistants, Shultz would have all the help she needs to succeed as the Sooners' pitching coach.

You definitely cannot assume that Jessica isn't ready but likewise you cannot know that she is ready to do the job until she get the position and performs well. There is alway a risk factor when a coach is elevated to the next level. Tough decision that is just part of the reason Patty is paid the big bucks.

 

[Speedy17]

You definitely cannot assume that Jessica isn't ready but likewise you cannot know that she is ready to do the job until she get the position and performs well. There is alway a risk factor when a coach is elevated to the next level. Tough decision that is just part of the reason Patty is paid the big bucks.

Keilani was a GA at Miss State and missed half the season because she had to play in Japan. Maybe this year is different but I don't know that she has what it takes to be a coach. She has always been the superstar. The same thing happened with Shelby Pendley at New Mexico, she left mid-season to play in the pros only she was a full time assistant and not a GA.

As for Shults, she has worked the bullpen at OU as player and as a GA with Lombardi. In addition, she helped coach UH into post season this past year for the first time in years. She has multiple years on the staff. Gascoigne would be the other for Sooner/GA who has real coaching experience at Northwestern. The difference is that she does not have the coaching experience at catcher which Lombardi has been doing for 20+ years. If Patty hires a pure pitching coach then she is going to have to coach the catchers. I am certainly not sure Lea is ready to be the primary catching coach as a GA. I think catcher is way too important not to cover it.

 

[SoonerSpock]

Keilani was a GA at Miss State and missed half the season because she had to play in Japan. Maybe this year is different but I don't know that she has what it takes to be a coach. She has always been the superstar. The same thing happened with Shelby Pendley at New Mexico, she left mid-season to play in the pros only she was a full time assistant and not a GA.

As for Shults, she has worked the bullpen at OU as player and as a GA with Lombardi. In addition, she helped coach UH into post season this past year for the first time in years. She has multiple years on the staff. Gascoigne would be the other for Sooner/GA who has real coaching experience at Northwestern. The difference is that she does not have the coaching experience at catcher which Lombardi has been doing for 20+ years. If Patty hires a pure pitching coach then she is going to have to coach the catchers. I am certainly not sure Lea is ready to be the primary catching coach as a GA. I think catcher is way too important not to cover it.

No question many forget the importance of Missy's handling of the catchers and the serveral All American/All Conference players she produced. That definitely could be a leg up for Jessica if Patty thinks she is ready to take on replacing Missy coaching the circle and behind the plate.

There is a good argument for support for Jessica among the fans but as we all know the only thing that matters is what Patty thinks. The answer will be interesting and I am sure will create some further "what if" speculation with the fans.

 

[scrybe]

No question many forget the importance of Missy's handling of the catchers and the serveral All American/All Conference players she produced. That definitely could be a leg up for Jessica if Patty thinks she is ready to take on replacing Missy coaching the circle and behind the plate.

There is a good argument for support for Jessica among the fans but as we all know the only thing that matters is what Patty thinks. The answer will be interesting and I am sure will create some further "what if" speculation with the fans.

Certainly agree with that statement. Patty will hire the coach(es) she believes will do the best job preparing the pitchers – and catchers – to continue to win at the top level.

Perhaps my point about Jessica wasn't clear. I have no way of knowing if she would make a great pitching coach, though I personally believe she would. Jessica played her college ball and learned the game from the absolute best. If she's not ready at this point to lead a D1 pitching staff, she likely never will be.

 

[MsProudSooner]

Does a pitching coach need to be a former pitcher? Was Melissa a former pitcher?

 

[sybarite]

Does a pitching coach need to be a former pitcher? Was Melissa a former pitcher?

Melissa was a catcher. The argument tends to be would a catcher not be preferable since they can also train the catchers. That is why Schults comes up.

 

[Speedy17]

Melissa was a catcher. The argument tends to be would a catcher not be preferable since they can also train the catchers. That is why Schults comes up.

Yes, Lombardi coached both at OU for over two decades. Which means if OU hires a simple pitching coach then someone will have to coach the catchers. This makes the OU position unique.

 

[sybarite]

USA Red beat Japan 10-5. Arioto hit three home runs. The team hit six home runs. They couldn't get a single if it killed them. Fortunately, they had power. Japan was serving up some younger players to prepare for the Olympics.

Japan beat USA Blue a day or so earlier by hitting a two-run home run off Lowary who had come on in relief. Blue didn't have the hitting to fight back.

Red started O'Toole, trying to develop someone other than Abbott. But, after Red took an early lead due to walks in the first inning, Japan kept fighting back. If we hit it on the ground, they got an out, sometimes two. We had some problems in that we kept making little mistakes that Japan didn't make. Never called them errors. But, we missed hops, while Japan didn't. We changed to Garcia and someone else. We brought in Ricketts who got us out of the fourth. In the fifth, the first two hitters got a seeing eye single and a scorching double off the left center wall. They threw out one player trying to score. They brought on Abbott who got one out. Then, Japan hit a shot over the centerfield fence to tie it at five. In the bottom of the fifth, Red hit two more home runs, before hitting a three-run shot in the sixth. Abbott held them off.

They are better in the field than we are. We have power. They are more consistent. And, they do have some power.